"American Beauty Goes," . . . to Colorado!

I'm VERY happy too announce that one of my pieces has begun its journey to its new home across the country! American Beauty Goes, above, is en route to Colorado, and will join its sibling, Left Behind, in the Durango collection of Gail Harriss. The images in this piece, as in all of my work, are personal and historic. My uncle and his friends, ca 1943-47 are represented in the motorcyclists and in the closeup on the top right. The image in the lower left corner is a scan of a vintage candy box which was home to hundreds of the antique negatives I use in my art. This piece measures approximately 23" x 16" on hardwood. There is paper-thin hammered aluminum foil on the right to give the suggestion of a silver frame. I'm so thrilled to have my art hanging around the country and beginning its life away from "home!"

Left Behind, above, will soon have a familiar piece hanging next to it. The two pieces are just about the same size and are both on reclaimed wood. They will look great together, and my little 2-3 year old mom in the central image, will now have more family to hang with!

A HUGE thanks to Gail, a friend of mine since 1976 when we were both students at Vassar. My closest college chums from then have remained lifelong friends, the type you can start up a conversation up right off the bat even if you haven't seen each other in years. I treasure them.

Note:

My friend Woody Thompson's car site has a new URL now: woodyscarsite.blogspot.com. The old links won't work for it. Please adjust your bookmarks and head over there today!

Congratulations Mr. President!

Today is Inauguration Day in the United States, the solemn and momentous occasion that marks our peaceful transitions of power. President Barack Hussein Obama has taken the oath of office for the second time, and I'm just so happy and relieved we continue to have a fierce warrior for ALL Americans and not just the "corporations are people too, my friend" candidate fielded by the increasingly marginalized xenophobic, homophobic, anti-feminist, anti-poor, anti-Labor and, frankly, racist factions within the "Party of No," GOP.

I found this single, bright yellow Dandelion blooming yesterday—in January in Connecticut! It's a perfect symbol of the indomitable spirit of life and liberty in our country, and to the hope for the next four years of fair and progressive policies leading us to that more perfect union written into our Constitution.

I Have Been Here Many Times Before

Breathe Me, by SIA.

Sailors: Swaggers and Smiles

One of my earliest pieces, dating to 2005, is "Dad, St. Peter's, 1946." It's based on a photo of my Dad on shore leave in Rome, just after the war was over. He is the one near the center wearing the white sailor hat, with his swagger down just about perfectly. It seems as if the group of them may have just bought new cameras from the guy standing behind them. When you look at it closely, every sailor is either taking a photo or posing for one. I can just imagine how good it felt to be on land and to have peacetime after such a long war. My Dad was in the Navy from 1938-50 and then transferred to the Army until 1960. This piece is approximately 3 feet wide by 20 inches high and is done on two joined antique chestnut floorboards.

 

An early example of a consumer color camera, sailors enjoying some sunny decktime with a cute little puppy that looks like a Cocker Spaniel to me.  My dad is the tall one in the back.

A few more sailors have joined the group posing with the puppy. My Dad must have been the photographer for this on. I love the various ways these young men are wearing their caps.

Hello Dolly(s)

 

Some of my vintage dolls and figurines scanned for a piece of art I made in 2008. Above—All I have left of this Victorial bisque doll is her head and shoulders piece. She's so serene and beautiful though, she'll remain with me forever.

Adorable little fairy figurine. So impish!

One of my own little dolls from my childhood. He's a tattooed warrior in a fabulous feather-and-leather outfit. I used to talk to him for hours as a child.

Disney's "Sleepy" chose to pose without his floppy felt hat. The better to see his sleepy eyes!

 

 Hoohoo's prized Roly-Poly from the late 1920s. Still the pride of my collection.

Sleeping Dolly. She will rest in peace in my collection as long as I am around to curate it.

Happy Birthday to a Special Gal!

 

As I sit here freezing (it's about 20° outside tonight), the heat isn't working in two apartments at Pink Gardens, mine included, I really need to see some bright summery colors! And today also happens to be Artichoke Annie's birthday, one of my earliest and most supportive readers and now friends. While I can't send Annie a beautiful flower arrangement, I can brighten her day with these flowers from my past gardens. I hope you have a wonderful and very special birthday, Annie, you sure have brightened many of MY days!

Last but not Least:

 

I created this image two years ago of a Tangerine-colored 1969 Porsche 912 for Annie. She had one just like it "back in the day" and mentioned it in the comments section once. She mentioned that she didn't have many photos of it, if any, so I recreated it for her. I'm reprinting it today because it  fits in perfectly with this very "artandcolour" birthday post today.

Radio Orphan Annie Decoder Pin, 1936

 

What better way to start the new year at casey/artandcolour than with something seventy-seven years old? I recently found this Radio Orphan Annie Show decoder pin dating to 1936 in a box of things packed away for generations. I'll probably never finish going through my stuff! My aunt Hoohoo would have been eleven years old in '36 so I'm positive she sent away for this. I can just imagine the little Hoohoo sitting in the family home in Leete's Island, listening to the radio program, twirling the ring and finding out each week's "secret" message. Such a cool piece of history!

I just realized I should have turned the outside ring a tiny bit. The letters of the alphabet appear in those blank squares outside of the numbers. You must have been given a series of numbers to match up to the letters to decode the weekly secret message.